In prior art heddle frames, the frame staves with mounted heddle carrying rods are kept in their positions at their ends by means of lateral supports. The heddle carrying rods on which the heddles are lined up are disposed with their ends in contact with the lateral supports where locking devices, of which there are several variations, hinder the heddles from sliding off the heddle carrying rods.
In order to place heddles on or to remove heddles from the heddle carrying rods, the ends of the heddle carrying rods are usually loosened from the locking devices and swivelled out of the plane surface of the heddle frame until the ends of the heddle carrying rods are freely accessible. On modern heddle frame designs, the heddle carrying rods are so rigidly connected with the frame stave that only with great effort can they be loosened or swivelled out at their ends. In such cases it is necessary to remove the lateral support or to loosen it in such a way that it can be swivelled away from the ends of the heddle carrying rods in order to place or to remove the heddles.